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April 14, 2009 |
Vol 19, Issue
13 |
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Legislative
Report
 League of Women Voters of Oregon
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Needed: $3
Billion for 2009-11 |
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 The Ways and Means Committee is looking under every rock
in the state to locate funds to deal with the projected shortfall for
the coming biennium. The revenue committees are seeking sources
of new money, including the sunsetting of tax credits, the allocation
of smaller amounts for specific programs, the addition of an 11%
bracket in the personal income tax (possibly $1 billion), and an
increase of the corporate minimum tax. Read about the the drastic
measures the Ways and Means Committee is considering to fill some of
the funding gap.
Kappy Eaton, Governance Coordinator |
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Make Oregon's Election Campaigns Cleaner |
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 HB 3009, which will be heard
Friday, April 17th in the House Rules Committee, includes campaign
contribution limits and other provisions that will make Oregon's
election campaigns cleaner. The League supports this bill. A
constitutional amendment will also need to be referred to the voters to
allow HB 3009 to become effective.
With the recent adoption of a contribution limits bill by the
legislature in New Mexico, Oregon is one of only four states without
some sort of campaign contribution limits. The League believes that our
legislators and other office holders are generally honest and hard
working. However, they are caught in a bad campaign finance system that
demands ever-increasing contributions and expenditures to win
elections. This makes them dependent on huge campaign contributions
from interest groups that mostly want influence and access. If HB 3009
passes out of committee, watch for more that you can do to support its
passage.
Norman Turrill, Campaign Finance Chair |
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What Water Resources? |
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 Oregon's Water Resources Department (WRD) recently
presented their proposed budget (SB 5551) and possible budget
cuts (Legislative Fiscal Office 30%
agency budget cuts) to the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Natural
Resources. The League's recent water study
report clearly noted how critical it is to have good
scientific data in order to determine how to manage our water.
With almost one-third of WRD's employees on the possible cut list
because of its heavy reliance on the General Fund, the League has been
working to support bills that would create or increase fees for users
of the department's expertise. (See previous Legislative Reports.)
We also provided testimony on the budget,
asking that monies first go to water measurement, hydrology information
and other data collection.
Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator |
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Transfer of Development Credits (TDCs) |
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 During the
League's monitoring of the Big Look Task Force meetings, one topic
seemed to stand out - how to protect our agricultural and forestland
base and our special natural areas. A market-based tool used in
other states is called Transfer of Development Credits (TDCs), where
the development potential of lands would move from one landowner to
another. For instance, owners of prime agricultural lands could
sell any development rights they might have to someone who could use
those credits in an area where development should go. We
previously supported this concept in HB 2229 and last week supported SB 763 that
sets up a clear process for TDCs to be used in Oregon.
Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator
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The
Metolius: Area of Critical State Concern |
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 Last week the House Land Use Committee heard testimony on HB 3100, a bill that would
accept the recommendation of the Land Conservation and Development
Commission to designate the Metolius Basin an Area of Critical State
Concern. The management plan would:
- Protect
the basin from large-scale development, recognize the hydrological
impacts of development and protect important wildlife resources.
- Give
Jefferson County a clear path to allow small-scale recreation
oriented development consistent with the carrying capacity of the
area.
- Provide
a fair result for property owners.
After careful consideration of both the public process and
the recommendation, LWVOR provided testimony in support of HB 3100.
Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator |
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Hearings on Health Care Reform Bills |
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 The Senate Health
Care and Veterans Affairs Committee has heard a series of bills (SB 451 through SB 457) within the past two
weeks based on the Oregon Health Fund Board recommendations for health
care reform. The goal is to pass these bills out of the committee
before the end of April, so all amendments and fiscal impacts must be
submitted before then.
Read the details on each of the
Senate health care reform bills.
Meanwhile, the House bill implementing the Oregon Health Authority (HB
2009), continues to be amended and discussed prior to passage out of
the House Health Care Committee by the end of April. The League
will closely monitor all of these bills as they make their way through
the process.
Karen Nibler, Social Policy Coordinator |
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Road Show Hearings for Ways and Means |
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 The Ways and Means Committee of the Oregon State
Legislature will be holding public hearings around the state during the
next two weeks, prior to the release of the Co-Chairs' budget on May 17
(which will be posted on the Office of Economic Analysis
website). The LWVOR action committee will be delivering League
testimony at some of them. We encourage you to attend the
hearings in your areas and observe the process.
Budget facts, League opinions,
and hearing dates and locations.
Paula Krane, Public Access Coordinator
Editor's Note: Learn how the budget process works from a
Legislative Fiscal Office presentation of Oregon's Budget Process
(pdf). It summarizes the policy, process, budget cycle,
legislative paths (including the role of the Ways and Means Committee)
and more.
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Oregon's Unemployment Rate Rises |
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 In a news release from the the
Oregon Employment Department, the state's unemployment rate jumped
from 10.7% in February to 12.1 in March and continues to surpass the
national rate.
A recent article in The Oregonian newspaper ("Oregon unemployment rockets past
12%,") reported Oregon's unemployment rate has exceeded
Michigan's rate (which has had the highest rate in the
nation).
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Initiative Reform Being Considered |
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 Hearings have been held in both the Senate and House Rules
Committees on proposals for continued revisions to the initiative
process, dealing with signature gatherers and their employers, fiscal
information in the ballot title, increased penalties for fraud, and
possible use of the indirect initiative with the entire Legislature or
an interim committee of legislators to review all proposed
initiatives. Work is being done "behind the scenes"
with interested House and Senate members to consolidate the ideas and
bring forth one or two bills.
Kappy Eaton, Governance Specialist |
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Speaking the Language of the Legislature |
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 Sunset Clause: A statement added to the end of a measure which
causes the act to "sunset," or become ineffective, after a
certain date.
For more definitions, see the Legislature's glossary of terms.
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April 16 (Thursday) - Why Repower Oregon, Oregon
League of Conservation Voters, 6:00 p.m.
May 1 (Friday) - Global Warming Commission
meeting, 9 am to 1 pm, Oregon State Library, Rm. 102-103.
Legislature Action Dates
April 17 (Friday) Deadline to
schedule work sessions in chamber of origin*
April 28 (Tuesday) Deadline for consideration of changes in
chamber of origin*
May 14-16 Joint Committee on Ways and Means: public hearings on
policy bills with budgetary impacts
May 15 (Friday) Revenue Forecast due
May 20 (Wednesday) Deadline to schedule work sessions in second
chamber*
May 28 (Thursday) Committees close*
June 30 or before (Tuesday) Sine Die
*Except Joint Ways and Means, Senate Finance and Revenue,
House Revenue, Senate and House Rules Committees
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